BleachWatch data from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary contains observer reports on coral condition during the 2019 bleaching season. The dataset was collected by a network of trained divers coordinated by the Florida Keys BleachWatch program and submitted to NOAA NCEI. Observations span from March 30 to October 15, 2019.
Use Cases
- Modeling the relationship between environmental conditions and percent of bleached live coral cover.
- Analyzing spatial patterns of bleaching reports across the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
- Classifying coral condition based on observer notes and identified major coral growth types.
- Assessing the frequency and timing of 'no bleaching present' reports versus positive bleaching observations.
Strengths
- Data collected by a coordinated network of trained observers using standardized protocols.
- Reports include observations of no bleaching, which are critical for baseline assessment.
- Temporal coverage targets a specific bleaching season from March to October 2019.
Limitations
- Unknown sample size (row count) and specific column schema.
- Geographic scope is limited to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
- Data is from a single year, limiting long-term trend analysis.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI Accession 0213521).
- Collection Method
- Visual reports from trained diver observers using underwater aids and standardized forms.
- Time Range
- 2019-03-30 to 2019-10-15
- Freshness
- Data reflects the 2019 season; last updated October 15, 2019.
- Geography
- Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.